You have a choice when it comes to insulating your house. There are many materials out there, each with its own unique properties. One popular material readily installed by many insulation companies is foam. However, the experts at Dolphin Insulation prefer cellulose insulation, and don’t offer foam. We know you see foam all the time on the home improvement shows but we’ll show you why cellulose is a much better material to insulate your home.

There are several reasons we choose cellulose insulation. We’ve released a new video to help you pick the right material for your house. Here are some important factors to consider when choosing the best insulation for your home.

Foam:

• Smoke Development: If a fire breaks out, foam insulation will cause a lot of smoke to develop, which worsens an already dangerous situation. Because foam can burn, it requires an ignition barrier. Some installers actually use cellulose to create that barrier because cellulose doesn’t burn.
• Environmental Impact: Foam is made out of petroleum, which requires a lot of energy to manufacture and isn’t recyclable at all.
• Water Damage: Foam is a hydrophobic material. It doesn’t get wet, water simply slicks off of its surface. Unfortunately, this redirects water to studs and other areas of the house, which can wear away at wood or cause mold to grow.

Cellulose:

• Smoke Development: Cellulose develops little smoke in a fire, and is a great ignition barrier.
• Environmental Impact: Cellulose is mostly made from recycled paper, which makes up over 80 percent of the material on average. It also costs less energy to produce.
• Water Damage: Cellulose is hydroscopic – meaning it can manage moisture. It works to keep your home healthy and strong. Most homes suffer moisture damage due to humid indoor air entering framing cavities. Properly installed, dense-packed cellulose prevents moisture-laden air from migrating where it is unwanted.
• Thermal Mass: Cellulose insulation has the highest Mass to R-value ration of any insulation product and helps regulate temperatures better than any other insulation material. The Mass keeps homes insulated with cellulose from experiencing temperature highs and lows. It is like a flywheel on a car’s engine; once it achieves a designated speed, it does not want to go faster or slow down. Once your home is the optimum temperature with cellulose insulation, it will have a difficult time heating up or cooling off. Cellulose helps homeowners from having to turn on the heat during swing seasons when it is cooler at night even though it may get hot during the day. Cellulose is capable of absorbing surplus heat on a hot day and releasing it at night. This means less energy spent and more money saved.

For more information, check out the newest video from our recent road trip to National Fiber, the exclusive manufacturer of our cellulose insulation: